A heterogeneous composite consisting of near-nano ceramic clusters dispersed within a ductile matrix. The composite is formed through the high temperature compaction of a starting powder consisting of a core of ceramic nanoparticles held together with metallic binder. This core is clad with a ductile metal such that when the final powder is consolidated, the ductile metal forms a tough, near-zero contiguity matrix. The material is consolidated using any means that will maintain its heterogeneous structure.

A heterogeneous composite consisting of near-nano ceramic clusters dispersed within a ductile matrix. The composite is formed through the high temperature compaction of a starting powder consisting of a core of ceramic nanoparticles held together with metallic binder. This core is clad with a ductile metal such that when the final powder is consolidated, the ductile metal forms a tough, near-zero contiguity matrix. The material is consolidated using any means that will maintain its heterogeneous structure.

A heterogeneous composite consisting of near-nano ceramic clusters dispersed within a ductile matrix. The composite is formed through the high temperature compaction of a starting powder consisting of a core of ceramic nanoparticles held together with metallic binder. This core is clad with a ductile metal such that when the final powder is consolidated, the ductile metal forms a tough, near-zero contiguity matrix. The material is consolidated using any means that will maintain its heterogeneous structure.

A heterogeneous composite consisting of near-nano ceramic clusters dispersed within a ductile matrix. The composite is formed through the high temperature compaction of a starting powder consisting of a core of ceramic nanoparticles held together with metallic binder. This core is clad with a ductile metal such that when the final powder is consolidated, the ductile metal forms a tough, near-zero contiguity matrix. The material is consolidated using any means that will maintain its heterogeneous structure.

The present method for machining a part includes wire electro-discharge machining the part to create a recast layer, and then removing a zinc content of the recast layer without substantially altering the remainder of the initial composition make-up of the recast layer. The final composition make-up of the recast layer is substantially identical to the initial composition make-up except for the removed zinc content.

The present method for machining a part includes wire electro-discharge machining the part to create a recast layer, and then removing a zinc content of the recast layer without substantially altering the remainder of the initial composition make-up of the recast layer. The final composition make-up of the recast layer is substantially identical to the initial composition make-up except for the removed zinc content.

A workpiece retainer retains a workpiece at a time of a cutting process by a wire electric discharge machining device that cuts a workpiece by electric discharge from wire electrodes that are spaced from each other and are arranged in parallel. The workpiece retainer is formed with a fitting portion, into which the workpiece is fitted substantially without any gap, and has an external shape such that at a time of cutting the workpiece retainer together with the workpiece fitted in the fitting portion, a length along the wire electrodes of a portion where the workpiece retainer and the workpiece face the wire electrodes becomes substantially constant during the cutting process of the workpiece.

In wire-electrical discharge machine and a numerical control apparatus thereof and a numerical control apparatus for controlling a machine tool, optional minute blocks are automatically created in front of and behind a connecting point, i.e., a joint of a block to which an offset command is instructed, and an offset value is exchanged between the minute blocks so that a correct offset value is set in a desired block.

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for fabricating clean, oxidation-free nanoparticles of electrically conducting metals and alloys using spark erosion techniques. In one aspect, a method includes dispersing bulk pieces of an electrically conducting material in a dielectric fluid with mechanical vibrations within a container; generating an electric field using electrodes in the dielectric fluid using by an electric pulse, in which the electric field creates a plasma in a volume existing between the bulk pieces that locally heats the bulk pieces to form structures within the volume, the dielectric fluid quenching the structures to form nanoparticles, and filtering the nanoparticles through a screen including holes of a size allowing nanoparticles of the size or smaller to pass through the screen to a region in the container, in which the dielectric fluid inhibits oxidation of the surface of the nanoparticles.

A power supply system for wire electric discharge machining includes a first power supply circuit and a second power supply circuit. The first power supply circuit applies, to the machining gap, a voltage that induces a discharge. The second power supply circuit, which includes a low inductance line, supplies a current, which contributes to the machining, to the machining gap,. A blocking diode is series-connected between the low inductance line and the machining gap. A container, which has a contact surface contacting with the blocking diode and contains a cooling liquid, is provided.